Insert member for use with hose clamp arrangements

Abstract

An insert member for use in a hose connection which is of asymmetric construction and is outwardly flared at one end and inwardly bent at the other to be able to be located precisely in relation to a collar or shoulder on a nipple onto which a hose is to be securely fastened. One or several circumferential inwardly pressed grooves are provided in the main surface portion of the insert member. The bridging portion of the insert member which extends over the collar has thereby a somewhat larger outside dimension and is connected with the main surface portion of the insert member by way of an inclined step.

I claim: 
     
       1. An insert member for use in a hose connection to securely fasten a hose onto a nipple provided with an external collar portion integral with the nipple, characterized in that the insert member is of open ring-shape in the circumferential direction constructed asymmetrically with one end thereof bent outwardly and the other end bent inwardly leaving therebetween a main surface portion extending substantially uninterruptedly over its circumferential length, and at least one inwardly extending groove means in said main surface portion of the insert member to assist anchoring of the hose whereby said outwardly and inwardly bent ends at the same time assure proper positioning of the various parts during assembly of the hose connection, said insert member having an internal diametric dimension greater than the diametric dimension of the collar portion so that it can be mounted over the nipple with the one end first, and said groove means extending over substantially the entire uninterrupted circumference of the main surface portion. 
     
     
       2. An insert member according to claim 1, characterized in that a bridging portion of slightly larger external diameter is provided between the main surface portion and the inwardly bent end which is adapted to extend over the collar portion of the nipple, said bridging portion having an axial length smaller than the axial length of the main surface portion. 
     
     
       3. An insert member according to claim 2, wherein the axial length of said bridging portion is only slightly greater than the axial length of the collar portion. 
     
     
       4. An insert member according to claim 2, wherein said one end is bent out so as to form a flaring open end. 
     
     
       5. An insert member according to claim 2, characterized in that an inclined step connects the main surface portion with the bridging portion. 
     
     
       6. A hose connection between a hose and a nipple, which comprises an insert member according to claim 5, wherein the nipple includes a nipple portion, the hose is placed over the nipple portion in substantial abutment at the collar portion, the insert member surrounds the hose in such a manner that the inwardly bent end substantially abuts at the collar portion on the side opposite the abutment of the hose, and ring-like clamping means extending over said insert member which in the installed condition exerts a radially inwardly directed pressure on the insert member in such a manner that the groove means are securely pressed into the hose so as to securely anchor the hose in position between said collar and said groove means. 
     
     
       7. An insert member according to claim 5, wherein said insert member has a length in the circumferential direction smaller than the circumferential length of the hose over which it is to be placed. 
     
     
       8. An open insert member of finite length according to claim 5, characterized in that the circumferential length of the insert member is such that in its installed condition the end surfaces overlap. 
     
     
       9. An open insert member of finite length according to claim 5, characterized in that the ends of the insert member are provided with means to assure a substantially gap-free stepless internal surface of the insert ring in the installed condition. 
     
     
       10. An insert member according to claim 9, characterized in that the last-mentioned means includes a tongue-like extension at one end of the insert member within the area of the groove means, and tongue-receiving means at the other end of the insert member. 
     
     
       11. An insert member according to claim 10, wherein the tongue-receiving means is in the form of a fork-shaped end portion at the other end of the insert member forming a tongue-receiving opening. 
     
     
       12. An insert member according to claim 10, characterized in that said tongue-receiving means includes a centrally located channel for receiving the tongue-like extension which commences at a first step-like portion. 
     
     
       13. An open insert member of finite length according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of the insert member are provided with means to assure a substantially gap-free stepless internal surface of the insert ring in the installed condition. 
     
     
       14. An insert member according to claim 13, characterized in that the last-mentioned means includes a tongue-like extension at one end of the insert member within the area of the groove means, and tongue-receiving means at the other end of the insert member. 
     
     
       15. An insert member according to claim 11, wherein the tongue-receiving means is in the form of a fork-shaped end portion at the other end of the insert member forming a tongue-receiving opening. 
     
     
       16. An insert member according to claim 14, characterized in that said tongue-receiving means includes a centrally located channel for receiving the tongue-like extension which commences at a first step-like portion. 
     
     
       17. A hose connection between a hose and a nipple, which comprises an insert member according to claim 1, wherein the nipple includes a nipple portion, the hose is placed over the nipple portion in substantial abutment at the collar portion, the insert member surrounds the hose in such a manner that the inwardly bent end substantially abuts at the collar portion on the side opposite the abutment of the hose, and ring-like clamping means extending over said insert member which in the installed condition exerts a radially inwardly directed pressure on the insert member in such a manner that the groove means are securely pressed into the hose so as to securely anchor the hose in position between said collar and said groove means. 
     
     
       18. A hose connection according to claim 17, wherein said nipple portion is provided with external annular bead means and at least one groove means is located between two annular bead means. 
     
     
       19. A hose connection according to claim 17, wherein one annular groove means is located between an annular bead means on the nipple portion and the collar portion. 
     
     
       20. A hose connection according to claim 17, wherein said ring-like clamping means is a clamp structure including at least one plastically deformable ear means. 
     
     
       21. A hose connection according to claim 17, wherein said ring-like clamping means is a clamping ring adapted to be shrunk over the insert member. 
     
     
       22. A hose connection according to claim 21, wherein said clamping ring is of sleeve-like construction having substantially constant internal dimensions over its axial length. 
     
     
       23. A method for fastening a hose onto a nipple structure having a nipple portion and a collar portion, comprising the steps of inserting the hose over the nipple portion from one end of the nipple structure, inserting over the nipple structure from the other end thereof an asymmetrical insert member which has an inwardly bent end portion at one end and an outwardly bent end portion at the other end, until its inwardly bent end is in the area of the collar portion on the side thereof opposite the hose, thereafter mounting a ring-like clamping member over the thus-assembled nipple structure, hose and insert member from the other end of the nipple structure until it comes to lie with its leading edge in the area of the beginning of the outwardly bent end portion of the insert member, and thereafter contracting the ring-like clamping member to exert radially inwardly directed pressure on the hose by way of the insert member. 
     
     
       24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said ring-like clamping member is slipped over said insert member until its leading edge is stopped by the outwardly bent end portion. 
     
     
       25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the nipple portion is initially internally expanded before the ring-like clamping member is completely contracted 
     
     
       26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the insert member has a main surface portion and a bridging portion between the main surface portion and the inwardly bent end portion which is of slightly larger external diametric dimension than the main surface portion, wherein contraction of the ring-like clamping member initially causes the bridging portion to decrease in diametric dimension until it approaches the diametric dimension of the main surface portion whereupon the main surface portion is contracted by continuing contraction of the ring-like clamping member. 
     
     
       27. A method according to claim 23, in which the insert member has at least one circumferentially extending inwardly pressed-out groove which is pressed into the hose upon contraction of the ring-like clamping member. 
     
     
       28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the nipple portion has at least two annular beads with one inwardly extending groove located in an area opposite two annular beads before the ring-like clamping member is contracted. 
     
     
       29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of initially expanding the nipple portion to a diametric dimension corresponding substantially to the inner diameter of a nipple-connecting portion located on the other side of the collar portion and only thereafter contracting the ring-like clamping member. 
     
     
       30. A method according to claim 23, wherein the ring-like clamping member is contracted by plastic deformation of an ear in the clamping member. 
     
     
       31. A method according to claim 23, wherein the ring-like clamping member is contracted by shrinking the same over the insert member. 
     
     
       32. A method according to claim 23, wherein the insert member has a main surface portion and a bridging portion between the main surface portion and the inwardly bent end portion which is of slightly larger external diametric dimension than the main surface portion, wherein contraction of the ring-like clamping member initially causes the bridging portion to decrease in diametric dimension until it approaches the diametric dimension of the main surface portion whereupon the main surface portion together with the bridging portion are contracted by continuing contraction of the ring-like clamping member.